Disclaimer: I do not own Mai-Otome/Mai-HiME or the characters here. Sunrise Does.

Believing

6.

"Ugh…" Shizuru woke up with a throbbing pain throughout her body. Slowly opening her eyes and adjusting them to the darkness around her, she tried to move but felt a tug around her wrist. She looked up and pulled again but with greater force, which caused her to receive a shock that ran throughout her body, worsening the already present pain. "Argh…" she growled lowly through her teeth at the pain, "Shi…Shizuru?" She snapped her head up at the sound of Natsuki's voice, "Natsuki?! Where are you?"

Natsuki's heart filled with joy when she heard her wife, "Shizuru! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Don't move! This things have high voltages in them, they will hurt you if you pull!" Natsuki warned her wife, having woken up before her, she had already tried to escape but had suffered the same fate Shizuru did.

"I know Natsuki, don't worry. I'm okay, are you okay?" Shizuru spoke nervously as she looked around not being able to see Natsuki through the dark. "I'm fine…but where are we? I can't see anything and my robe won't work…" Natsuki replied worriedly as she also thought of the children but knew that they were safe in the palace, 'But how long will they remain safe if we can't protect them against Yuuichi…' Fear stroke Natsuki as she thought of the danger her twins could be in.

"Damn it Natsuki, to be a principal you really ask stupid questions…" Nao's voice spoke up through the dark chamber. She had quickly grown tired after hearing a few exchanges between the two woman, "How do you expect Shizuru-san to know where we are if she is in the same position as you? Don't be stupid…"

"Nao-san! I'm glad you're okay." Shizuru said when she heard the red headed Otome speak in an annoyed tone to Natsuki. "What happened to us? I thought we were the "all-mighty-indestructible-otomes" of the world. What did they do to us to take us down so easily? I didn't even get a chance to attack those bastards," Nao asked as she recalled the way she and Nina were taken down. She had not heard Nina but since Shizuru had just awoken, she thought she was probably still unconscious.

"It seems like they used some kind of weapon that caused the nano-machines in our bodies to shut down completely, leaving us unconscious for a period of time, but I don't know how long we've been here," Nao kept her eyes closed and only heard the voices, since it did no good having her eyes open in the dark, and unknown to everybody, she had a strong fear of the dark.

"It's true, in this darkness, who knows if it's day or night, if a week or a day has passed…" Natsuki added to Shizuru's explanation, "We must be out of range if the GEMs don't work, and that can't happen anywhere in Earl, since the system covers everything."

"Which means were either really deep underground…or the system has been taken down…" Shizuru said as she realized Yuuichi's plan. "Natsuki! Yuuichi has probably shut down the whole system leaving all the Otome's defenseless!"

Natsuki gritted her teeth as the thought of the implications that would have. She had little time to think when the lights suddenly turned on in a bright flash that illuminated the large chamber. Natsuki's eyes quickly adjusted as she looked around and saw that they were each in individual cells, with Shizuru's cell being across from hers and Nao's besides Shizuru's. She looked to her right and saw that Nina was still unconscious.

"Nina!" Nao screamed as she saw her love still unconscious and sitting against the frigid wall. "Look. That one's still unconscious, we can try it with her first…" The three otome turned to see a man in a white robe walk up towards Nina's cell with two large men following behind him.

"Get away from her you bastards! Don't you dare touch her or I will cut your fucking head off!" Nao threatened in panic as she saw them going in and taking Nina as the completely ignored her. "Where are you taking her?!" Natsuki asked but was ignored as well. Both Shizuru and Natsuki turned to Nao as they heard screams of agony as she pulled on the bracelets that kept her against the wall, "Nao! Don't do that! You're hurting yourself!" Natsuki called her friend who didn't stop pulling until the pain was too unbearable for her to take. She fell limply as tears rolled down her eyes, "Nina…" she said softly through her sobs.

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"Queen Mashiro!" Chie exclaimed in pure shock as she ran into the queen's office where she stood staring silently onto the document that laid before her, "We have just received news that Garderobe has been taken over and one of our informants says that they also took some of the Otomes captive!"

Mashiro looked up to see Chie as she realized the severity of her words. She stood and walked towards her otome, "Materialize and see what's going on, but don't engage," Chie nodded and lowered herself so that Mashiro could activate her GEM, except this time, it did not grow warm as it usually did when it was activated. She tried to materialize but failed every time. "What's going on?" asked Mashiro as she saw Chie's frustrated look. "I don't know…It seems like the server is down…"

Mashiro's eyebrow's furrowed in frustration as she thought of other ways to take action, "Very well, then take some guards with you and find out what's going on. As I said before, do not engage."

"Hai." Chie saluted and left. Running through the hallway she looked for the captain of Windbloom's guards, Sakomizu Cardinal, so that she could depart for Garderobe as soon as possible. She was really worried about her comrades and feared the worst. As she ran she stopped in her tracks when she heard some screams coming from the court. She looked through a window and her eyes widened in shock once more as she saw dark figures taking out the guards with quick and easy movements.

Chie felt a shiver run down her spine as she saw the dark figures defeat all of the guards and coming inside quickly. She turned and ran towards the room where Aoi was with the children, "Aoi!" she screamed as she bursted into the room and saw her playing with the Kruger Viola twins, "Get the twins and come with me, the palace is being invaded. I need to get you to a safe place." Aoi did not quite understand what was going on but she trusted Chie with her life, so she quickly gathered the kids and gave one to Chie as they ran hand in hand though the palace down to the lower levels.

"Here, stay here and don't come out," Chie said as she opened a chamber that was hidden away within the wall. "What about you Chie?" Aoi asked worriedly as she entered the chamber with the twins, "I have to go and protect the queen with all I have, I am her Otome after all," Chie said as she kissed Aoi one more time, "I love you," Aoi said as Chie closed the large stone door, "I love you too," Chie replied as the wall fell back into place and kept the chamber hidden.

Chie ran back upstairs towards Mashiro's office but stopped when she came across two of the dark figures the closely resembled the valkryes, but this seemed much larger, "Who are you and what do you want?!" Chie asked as she got in to a fighting stance, although she had little possibility against her two opponents, she had to try.

One of the figures chuckled and answered in a deep voice, revealing his gender underneath the suit that covered him completely, "We don't answer to you," Chie did not even see the figure move until she felt a sharp pain in her stomach as she was thrown back into the wall.

"Argh…" Chie gritted through her teeth as she swiped away blood from her mouth. 'What are you?" She asked as she rose up and tried moving towards them but was unable to as she felt strong, gloved hands take her by the neck and raise her up until her feet no longer touched the ground.

"We…we are better than you. And I'm guessing you are Chie Hallard. We better take you with us just in case the queen thinks she has any hope," Chie was placed down on the ground once more and dragged away by her collar.

Mashiro stood behind her desk with several soldiers guarding her as the door to her office swung open and two soldiers walked in as they dragged Chie behind them. "Mashiro Blan de Windbloom, we have a present for you from our leader," the soldier said as he swung Chie towards the desk with great force, making her body break through the desk easily.

"Chie-san!" Mashiro ran towards the Otome, "Ma…Mashiro-sama…" Chie tried to speak but struggled as blood kept flowing out from her wounds and her mouth, "I'm sorry…" she could no longer remain conscious and fell back as she felt all her strength leave her body.

Mashiro turned to the invaders, "What do you want?" she asked but in exchange she received a laugh from the soldiers, "What we want? Nothing, but he does," the soldiers moved aside as Yuuichi walked into the office, "Yuuichi Tate…" Mashiro's blood boiled when she recognized the man, it was part his fault that she was put on the stop and denied Arika. It was because of him she had lost the love of her life. "Attack!" Mashiro ordered the guards without hesitation and without waiting for him to say anything. Tate just chuckled as his soldiers quickly took down the foolish guards with ease.

"Queen, where are your manners?" Mashiro heard Tate ask as she looked at her guard's lifeless bodies lying on the floor. "A young lady without manners is not fit to be queen, so I will relieve you of your duty Mashiro-san," Tate said as he moved to take the chair behind the broken desk. "Take her away," Tate ordered and the soldiers did as ordered without meeting any resistance from Mashiro. She was at a loss of words and knew she had nothing left to save her, she said and did nothing as she was taken away to the underground cells that were built there when the palace was first built by the original patriarchs. The soldiers threw her onto a cell and left promptly.

After years of working hard to build a proper character fit for a queen, Mashiro slipped out of herself as she cuddled into a corner of the dark cell and whimpered silently as tears rolled from her face. She needed Arika now more than ever, yet she had driven her away and now she was lost. It was over.

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=CLICK=

Nao, Natsuki, and Shizuru all fell down to the cold floor with a thud after they heard a sound coming from their bracelets.

"What's going on?" Natsuki asked as she stood up and rubbed her wrists that were swelling up from the bracelets that held them up against the wall. "Natsuki!" Shizuru said as she ran to her, embracing her in a tight hug and started sobbing.

"It's okay Shizuru. I don't know what happened but we'll get out of here okay? I promise," Natsuki said comfortingly as she lovingly rubbed her wife's back to calm her down. Shizuru looked up at Natsuki's smiling face and nodded, "Okay."

The two turned to Nao who kept crying against the wall. Natsuki walked towards her and kneeled down to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Nao, we have to try to get out of here, maybe their system failed and freed us. We must take this opportunity while we can," Nao looked up to her as she wiped away her own tears and stood up, "Let's go, We need to find Nina," she said as she walked towards the exit but froze as the door opened to reveal Nina.

"Nina!" Nao did not hesitate to embrace the girl in a hug but felt shocked as she was thrown to the other side of the room, making her crash against the hard wall. "Nao!" Natsuki ran towards her fallen friend who laid against the broken wall and looked on to Nina in shock, "That…that can't be her…" Nao said as Natsuki helped her stand up, "I don't know what's wrong with her but -" Natsuki was interrupted when she heard Shizuru scream her name and saw Nina launching herself against her but was thrown to the side as she was intercepted by Shizuru.

Shizuru struggled to fight Nina as she straddled her to keep her down but found it hard to keep her down, as it seemed her strength had been enhanced to a level that surpassed even one who wore a robe. "Nina…what is going…on?" She asked the girl whose eye's seemed to be out of focus as if she were in a different world. Shizuru did not receive an answer as she was pushed off by the younger girl easily, making her rip through the cell's wall.

Without warning, Nina attacked Natsuki and left her unconscious like Shizuru. Nao tried getting up but felt an extreme sharp pain against her leg that told her it was broken. Nina walked towards her in a zombie-like state and was ready to attack but stopped immediately when a voice was heard that said: "STOP" loudly over the intercom.

Nina did as ordered and Nao watched as a couple of men came in and placed both Natsuki and Shizuru back in the cells with the holding bracelets on again before moving towards her. She was also placed back on a cell without regards for her injured leg since they knew her nano-machines would soon start repairing it.

"What have you done to her?!" Nao asked in pure fury but received a small laugh from one of the men, "Let's just say that you were the guinea pigs to our little experiment," one of them said as they took Nina and led her outside of the room. Nao felt a mixture of fear and anger run through her body as she saw her comrades and herself defeated. She was never one to give up hope, but she now felt it running dangerously low.

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Mashiro looked up from her corner in the dark cell when she heard a soft scratching sound that was prominent from the wall. She tried to focus her sight and smiled in joy as she saw Aoi emerge from a hidden room along the wall with the Principal's children with her.

"Aoi!" Aoi turned at the sound of her name and saw the queen standing up and walking towards the door of the cell, "Get me out of her please," Mashiro begged as her body tempted to break down again as she held herself against the cold bars.

Aoi nodded and quickly took out her keychain that held a master key to the whole palace. Mashiro stumbled out as soon as Aoi opened the cell and fell to her knees as she continued to sob, "Mashiro-sama…" Aoi tried to calm the young queen but it was to no avail, as the girl's cries continued on.

Mashiro could not believe that her whole life had been ruined in a matter of days. Her kingdom had been taken over, she was taken prisoner, but most importantly of all, she had lost the love of her life, Arika.

Aoi had set the children down on their carrier and was holding Mashiro but felt her stiffen when they heard sounds coming from the stairs, "Mashiro-sama, come," Aoi took the children and Mashiro and led them back to the hidden room quickly as they heard the steps getting closer. Luckily, both of the twins were sleeping, which made it easier for them to remain unnoticed.

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"Arika-chan, I really believe that it would be better for you to go back. You love Mashiro too much and she loves you back. You should not leave it like it, for this kind of love only comes once, and I am sure both of you can withstand the obstacles that come with it," Mai finished saying as Arika eyed her ramen without appetite. Mikoto nodded in agreement with Mai as she finished a fifth serving of her favorite food.

"A few years back when Mashiro was here, she was sad because you guys had fought, she's sad again," Mikoto said as she recalled the time a couple years back when Mashiro had come to Mai to ask her for advice, indirectly of course, since she had gotten in a fight with her Otome. Mai kept trying to get her to publicly admit that she and Arika were a couple, but the young queen thought that it was over between them and didn't see a point in it. Of course after the chaos caused by the orphans, the two girls got back together and realized just how important they were to each other.

"Mikoto is right. It's not that we don't want you here, because you know we love having you here, but we have seen how you been, and it's not good for you to be in such depression Arika." Mai was going to continue but stopped when somebody came running to them and screamed frantically, "Mai-san! Come see the television! It has just been announced that Garderobe and Windbloom have been taken over and a blonde man has taken power!"

The Cat-Goddess and the two Otomes ran to see what the commotion was about and widened their eyes in surprise when they recognized Yuuichi Tate speaking through the television and announcing his supreme rule.

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An hour before the announcement was to be broadcasted live through all of Earl's communication networks, Takeda stood in pure horror as he saw Nagi fall to his knees in front of Tate as blood gushed from his mouth and a wound he now had in his stomach.

"You…bastard…" Tate grinned maliciously at Nagi's stuttering words, "Please Nagi, did you really think I was going to let a kid like you run the show? You might have been close to success in the past, but you failed, and I can't have that happening again. I need you out of the picture so that I can keep control and order in my kingdom."

Takeda watched in fear as Nagi's body stopped breathing as he laid lifelessly at Tate's feet. 'If he was willing to kill Nagi for power, what can I expect? Will he kill me too?'

Tate turned to the desk and placed down the gun he had just killed Nagi with. He turned to his soldiers, "Go and make sure the broadcasting team is here. I need to be live within an hour understood?" His soldiers nodded and left to carry out his orders promptly. They had just witnessed his backstabbing act and although the soldiers were definitely stronger that Yuuichi, specially with their enhancements, they knew were they stood.

"Tate…" Tate turned to look at Takeda and smiled, "Don't worry Takeda-kun, it was part of my plan. We don't need that kid interfering with our rule. Don't you agree?"

Takeda nodded ,"I…I guess so…" Tate sat at the new desk he had ordered in the queen's office. "Well, If you can excuse me, but I have a speech to give and I need to be prepared," Takeda turned to leave at Tate's request, or order, it seemed to him due to what he had just seen, "Oh, and tell someone out there to clean up this mess. I don't want my office stinking up."

Takeda left and ordered some of the maids to clean up Tate's office. He felt a feeling of fear that he had never felt before. He knew his life was in danger and he needed a way to protect it. 'I'm sorry Tate…but it's me or you, and I rather it not be me…' A wicked grin spread through Takeda's face as he walked towards his newly acquired quarters.

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Arika's knuckles turned white as her hand formed a fist when she heard Yuuichi. He announced his complete rule and his invincible army. Arika could not hold out any longer when he said he had gotten rid of the queen. She felt a cold shiver crawl down her spine at his words.

She turned and ran but was halted to a stop by Mai's hand, "You can't go. You are defenseless against them Arika…" Arika was about to pull away but Miyu's words were faster than her, "Let her go Mai-san. Do not interfere. This is what she must do."

Both Mai and Arika turned when they heard the android's cold voice. She walked towards them and took Arika's hand, "Come Arika-san, we must hurry."

Arika nodded and left with Miyu as Mai looked on with worry. She knew that Arika would be easily defeated without her robe, and she knew Arika would not stop even in the face of danger if Mashiro was in danger.

"Don't worry Mai…" Mikoto placed a loving hand on Mai's shoulder, "She's going to be okay. After all, It's time." Mai turned to face Mikoto and ask her what she meant but the goddess smiled and ran off with some of the cats.

'It's time?…Time for what?'…..

A/N: Here is the new chapter! I hope you guys liked it! I'm sorry for the long wait, but I was trying to get my ideas 'straight' (no pun intended :P) and I finally got it :D

Sorry if you find this chapter to be too angsty , but I promise you, next chapter is going to be AMAZING :P, or so I think :D

I know this might seem cliché and too like what happened in the mai otome anime, but believe me, it's going to have a huge turnaround next chapter. I bet none of you are expecting it ;)

Please review and show me some love :D

Love you all :D

Next Chapter: An ancient secret is revealed and Yuuichi faces his worst fear. The time for redemption has arrived!